hardest hit hospitals 53 days ago finally going home >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. good evening, everyone we start with the most encouraging news yet in the race to develop an effective covid-19 treatment. tonight, doctors have a new weapon in their fight to save lives an experimental drug fresh off human trials according to dr. anthony fauci cut recovery times. emergency approval of the drug coming none too soon as covid deaths in the u.s. today climbed above 60,000 that's where our reporting begins tonight first, tom costello. >> reporter: for doctors and nurses on the front lines, a new weapon in the fight against covid-19 an anti viral medication proven effective in clinical trials dr. fauci announced the breakthrough at the white house. >> the data shows that remdesivir has a clear cut significant positive

effect in diminishing the time to recovery this is really quite important. >> reporter: the drug is remdesivir made by gilead sciences it comes in iv form administered to the sickest covid patients the drug trials involved 1100 people worldwide the preliminary nih data showed remdesivir cut recovery from 15 to 11 days and the mortality rate dropped from 11.6% to 8% on those on remdesivir. >> i narrowly employed a ventilator. >> reporter: this doctor was given rem -- remdesivir in the icu. >> my personal experience with the remdesivir and the other medication makes me feel strongly it should be used emory university ran the largest

of the nih clinical trials. >> remdesivir will get many patients home to their families >> reporter: remdesivir was originally designed to treat ebola patients but for seven years researchers at vanderbelt had been convinced it could save lives in a new coronavirus pandemic. >> i'm very encouraged and i'm very optimistic particularly if we think of using this in patients as they have earlier disease and progressing. >> sickest you've ever been. >> sickest i've ever been, yes. >> reporter: in philadelphia mike was on a ventilator for 17 days doctors gave him remdesivir as a last resort. >> because he was so sick and they were kind of thinking we have nothing to lose, if it can help him, great, because he was, you know, needing something. >> reporter: tonight, the president is calling on the fda

to quickly approve remdesivir as a front line go-to treatment. it can only be given in iv form in a hospital. the nih findings are so far not peer reviewed but remdesivir is ramping up production of the drug. >> let's bring in the former commissioner of the fda and cnbc contributor. you said this isn't a home run but you're encouraged. a lot of people are looking for any sign of hope right now. what should they make of this? >> well, i think this is an important beginning. this drug does appear to be active against the virus, and i think used properly in the course of probably early disease when people first present to the hospital, particularly patients at higher risk for a bad outcome, it appears this drug has the potential to benefit some patients. the drug clearly showed activity against the virus in this trial this was a rigorously conducted trial and i think as

we head into the fall when we're likely to face the risk of larger outbreaks of coronavirus after we get through this effective l box and this drug can be part of that tool box coupled with better screening for the infection and maybe coupled with some additional drugs that could win approval sometime this fall. we might have a much better tool box for dealing with covid-19 that reduces the risk of the infection for most americans. >> all right dr. scott gotly, thank you very much. to dramatic scenes of people defying orders to keep their distance and tonight, the debate intensifying over how to enforce social distancing. here is gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: in the age of social distancing, it was a shocking sight thousands of mourners in brooklyn at a rabbi's funeral. >> you are putting my tops lives at risk, and it's unacceptable. >> reporter: bill de blasio is instructing the nypd to cite or arrest anyone that disobeys a social distancing order. >> not like people gathering in the park, it was thousands. >> reporter: more images of homeless sleeping on new york's subway system. the governor is asking

the transit authority to disinfectant every train every right. >> it's disrespectful to the essential workers that need to ride the subway system. >> reporter: from beaches to california to this house party in chicago, governments are struggling to crackdown on social distancing orders new york state raised the maximum fine to $1,000 now some towns in massachusetts are doing the same for face coverings. what authority do these cities have to really enforce social distancing >> the most important authority any community has is moral authority, understanding that by distancing not only are you protecting yourself but others, also. >> reporter: in many metro areas walking on the sidewalk it's tough to stay six feet away from anyone so new york city is planning to close off at least 40 miles of streets to vehicles and free up more space for pedestrians. >> reporter: the death

toll is topping 300 every day. zoey was a beloved teacher that died after a six-week battle with covid-19. her sister a nurse herself says she was denied a coronavirus test twice. >> they let her die. the health care system failed her. and i can't tell you how many times i begged them pleased and asked for someone to save her life. >> reporter: a system stretched to its limits. earlier this week, e.r. dr. brien took her own life her sister is speaking to savannah guthrie in an exclusive interview to air tomorrow on "today". >> she had 12-hour shifts and when she finished, she said i can't leave. nobody is leaving. i have to stay and help she would not give up. she would not let it break her, which of course, it did. >> reporter: another agonizing reason authorities say for americans to stay home gabe gutierrez, nbc news, new york. >> reporter: i'm miguel almaguer by the end of this week, one out of every three americans or roughly 123 million people will see stay-at-home

orders eased in their state. florida and texas among the largest hoping to get economies back on track. >> what's our biggest obstacle fear fear of the unknown. fear sparked by constant doom and gloom and hysteria that is permeated our culture. >> reporter: by friday at least 21 states will lift mandates though restrictions remain widely in place. in montana churches resume services and restaurants and bars can soon serve customers if they keep diners apart. ohio planning to allow construction and manufacturing to resume. >> there is definitely a leap of faith in this that is scary. >> reporter: the states set to reopen do share one thing in common, net met the white house guidelines calling for a 14-day drop in coronavirus cases. >> when we take a step forward, we don't want to take two steps

back. >> reporter: as states like california prepare to enter the seventh week in lockdown, cell phone movement shows a national decline of americans keeping social distance. with californians anxious to get out of the house, public spaces like parks and trails could reopen in a matter of weeks. but getting a haircut or going to a movie theater in downtown may not happen for months. >> reporter: in colorado, the stay-at-home order just expired but today, restaurant owner clay maxwell is closing for good. >> this is not something we can bounce back from which is what led us to the decision to close our doors. >> reporter: tonight one crisis creating another, as americans move into a new normal miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. all right. now to the nation's food supply and fallout from the president ordering meat plants to stay open as many of their workers fall ill and consumers could be hit by higher prices and fewer options.

here is blayne alexander. >> reporter: tonight, a food supply chain strained by covid-19. >> it was a bottleneck caused by this whole pandemic. >> reporter: now, relief the president says in the form of his executive order invoking the defense production act ordering all meat plants to stay open dubbing them critical infrastructure more than a dozen forced to shut down as covid-19 spread among employees. now, president trump says those companies will get liability protection smithfield are praising the order. >> i would like to see them test everybody. >> reporter: dustin is back on the job after the greeley plant in colorado closed. >> i was working next to a guy and we kept bumping into each other and my first worry is what if he has the virus? >> reporter: with more than 5,000 workers i'm packed by covid-19, unions are demanding for protection.

>> how much is a life worth as opposed to beef, pork and chicken? that is the decision that we have to make because that worker makes it every day when they go to work. >> reporter: new concerns about panic buying experts predict up to a month of lag time before the order makes an impact at the grocery store. until then, some products may run low. >> you'll see some empty shelves in the meat and poultry counters, whether it is, you know, a rack of ribs or if it is a brat or summer sausage. >> reporter: meaning, fewer selections but the supply experts say is stable. blayne alexander, nbc news, atlanta. tonight, president trump weighing in on those white house guidelines on stopping the spread of the virus a day before they expire. kristen welker is at the white house. >> reporter: with the white house social distancing guidelines set to expire tomorrow, president

trump says he is not planning to extend them. >> they will be fading out because the governors are doing it. >> reporter: doing enough testing continues to be a hurdle to reopening a new harvard study shows the country needs 5 million tests a day to reopen safely on tuesday, president trump told me administration would meet that benchmark. >> i heard you saying you're confident you can surpass 5 million tests per day. is that. >> we'll be there soon. >> reporter: the top official overseeing testing strategy told "time magazine" in an interview released late last night there is absolutely no way on earth on this planet or any other planet that we can do 20 million tests a day or even 5 million tests a day. today the president tried to walk back his comments from yesterday. >> i didn't say it i didn't say it, but somebody came out with a report saying 5 million. i think that was from the harvard report but we are going to be there at a certain point. we'll be there.

>> reporter: currently, just over 200,000 tests are performed a day, but administration rolled out a plan this week to boost those numbers. in the meantime, the president's son-in-law and top advisor jared kushner had this to say. >> the federal government rose to the challenge and this is a great success story, and i think that's really, you know, what needs to be told. >> reporter: those comments coming against the backdrop of a death toll now at more than 60,000 kristen welker, nbc news, the white house. we're back in 60 seconds with the news about a hospital finally starting to resume critical surgeries for everything from cancer to transplants, also, the big change in stores as malls get set to reopen.

the alarms ringing in the u.s. economy growing louder tonight shrinking nearly 5% in the first quarter and that's the worst drop since the great recession. among the hardest hit are retailers and with dozens of malls about to reopen, jo ling kent previews for us the dramatic changes in store. >> reporter: tonight, the american economy is shrinking

fast driving that is a plunge in consumer spending. plummeting more than it has since 1980 that is putting renewed pressure on retailers, trying to stay in business and that's why malls like beverly center are implementing new changes hoping to bring customers back in and help them feel safe again. once you're inside the mall, you can expect to see decals on the floor to help you maintain your social distance from other shoppers and you'll have to maintain the social distance on escalators and in elevators. >> we are going to move furniture around so it's naturally distanced six feet or more. >> reporter: there are specific doors for entering and exiting and ex direction to walk in. dozens of outlets and malls will open on friday some changes you can see, hand sanitizer stations, face masks handouts and voluntary temperature checks inside the stores themselves,

floors will be marked to keep shoppers six feet apart. common areas like food courts will have less seating. no more treys, utensils or cups or communal water fountains or play areas in bathrooms every other sink could be taped off to encourage more space between people there will be more keep cleaning of high traffic areas like this information desk and measures to help keep employees safe. >> the fear of the unknown but we have to tackle it together and understand and be flexible when customers come back and be ready to do what we can to make them feel safe. >> reporter: on monday, starbucks will begin reopening more stores, workers will be wearing masks and gloves and have their temperatures taken before each shift but mostly it will be to-go and drive-through only, no sitting inside just yet. lester >> yeah, a lot of things to adjust to. all right. jo ling kent, thank you. hospitals have also taken a hit as the pandemic forced them to cancel elective

procedures including cancer procedures many states are loosening restrictions and not a moment too soon for patients desperate in need. >> reporter: cindy knight fears her breast cancer is spreading diagnosis nosed three months ago doctors ordered a mastectomy. >> i wanted it done as soon as possible and that didn't happen. >> reporter: her procedure scheduled in february cancelled by coronavirus restrictions because it's considered elective surgery. not in her mind. >> it was worth to you risking a covid-19 exposure to get this done >> yes other than that i'm relatively healthy. i could have possibly fought that battle but i wasn't given the option. >> reporter: just this week, many states across the country starting to allow elective surgery again in hospitals. today new york announced they will start in facilities upstate. >> when you cancel elective surgeries, hospitals feel financial pinches. >> reporter: new

numbers reveal a devastating side effect of covid-19 on hospitals. in the first quarter of the year, half of the loss in the nation's gdp came from the health care industry in the month of march alone, 43,000 health care workers lost their jobs thousands of doctors and nurses furloughed by hospitals trying to cut costs to stay afloat. >> we had all the expenses of caring for covid patients and we had no revenue coming in. >> reporter: president of the american hospital association rick pollack says many facilities face closure. >> facilities are facing perhaps the greatest financial crisis in the history. >> reporter: doctors say there are desperate patients waiting to be treated and getting worse. >> let us be doctors and decide what is necessary and not. >> reporter: dr. chad owns a hospital in rural louisiana since the stop on surgeries, his facility is seeing about 5% of its previous number of patients. >> we're not talking about nose jobs we're not talking about tummy tucks but spine surgery, heart stints.

>> reporter: as surgeries return, knight is scheduled for next week. she fears plans can change. >> i'm very scared i have two grandchildren, two daughters married and i have a lot of life left in me i'm not ready to leave yet. >> reporter: health care facing new struggles while still battling a pandemic. catie beck, nbc news, louisiana. up next, cashing in the major news tonight for college athletes

we're back with

the potential game changer for college athletes that could allow them to cash in. here is stephanie gosk. >> reporter: college sports make big money. now the ncaa says its student athletes for the first time will be able to cash in on their athletic school if a proposal announced today gets approved it would include deals for third party endorsement, social media appearances and personal businesses today some former ncaa athletes reacted to the news like wilson chandler who tweeted ncaa, you too late i need reparation, actually the chairman of the ncaa board of governors says in part allowing promotions in third party endorsements is uncharted territory but he says the old system needs to be modernized how would you describe the shift this represents in sports as we know them? >> this is a big deal. this is not the ncaa being forward thinking

this is them reacting. >> reporter: last september california's governor signed the fair to play paid act with support from lebron james. >> it's going to change college states are considering something similar. there will be restrictions the ncaa has to sign off on all of the deals their concern, they say, is that the promise of money could make the recruitment process unfair. >> i think we should all expect that the landscape of college athletes will change a great deal. >> reporter: for many college athletes, it's change they are cheering on. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. up next, that incredible moment today the covid patient finally going home from the hospital after 53 days

>> finally the emotional send off for a patient that survived his long, tough battle for coronavirus. rodrego received a touching farewell today from mount sinai. he was the first coronavirus patient admitted to that hospital one of the hardest hit in the city today 53 days later he finally got to go home rodrigo you fill us with hope. that's "nightly news." i'm lester holt. please take care of your -

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